Cushion support for the foot



Dec. 22, 1931}- J F. ROMERO, I 1,837,438v

CUSHION SUPPORT FOR THE FOOT Filed May 20, 1930 I I I j 0 v.

gmmtoa [Garcia Homer-0,

I 1 a2) [IL L [55 4 Patented Dec. 22,1931 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEFRANCIS ROMERO, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE vVELVETAIRE 00., F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND CUSHION sorronr FOR THE roomApplication filed May 20, 1930. A Serial No. 454,024.

The invention relates to a cushion support for the foot.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, practicaland efiicient cushion support for the foot, of comparativelyinexpensivev construction designed to be arranged in a shoe and adaptedto provide a combined heel cushion, longitudinal arch support, and ametatarsal support, and c a-. pable of operating as a shock absorberforthe entire nervous system and of acting as an insulator against heat,cold and dampness.

A. further object of theinvention is to provide a cushion support forthe foot in which the metatarsal support and the longitudinal archsupport may be readily placed in position within the cushion supportand, removed.

therefrom when desired, and in which also the longitudinal arch supportmay be readily transferred from the upper to the lower face of the softsponge rubber insole member to render the bulge of the arch support andthe valley between the same and the metatarsal support less pronounced,and the bulge more yieldable and softer when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metatarsal supportadapted to be ar- I ranged directly behind the. ball of the foot andcapable of supporting the metatarsal bones and of exercising the musclesof the fore part of the foot and at the same time relieving the pressureupon the ball of the foot. A further object of the invention is to pro-'vide a longitudinal arch support adapted to be arranged at the innerside of the foot and capable of supporting the inner longitudinal archthereof and of exercising and strengthening the muscles. e I

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth inthe claim hereto appended, it being understood that various changes inthe form, proportion, and minor details of construction, within thescope of the claim, may be resorted to with- "out departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.-

In the drawings: Figurehl is a perspective view of a cushion supportconstructed in accordance with this invention, looking at the inner sideedge of the support. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the support. Fig. 3is a central longitudinal-sectional View taken substantially centrallyof the cush- 7 .fit snugly against the same at'the heel thereof,conforms generally to the configuration of'the shoe, as clearlyillustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, and comprises in itsconstruction a bottom pad 1 of soft sponge rubber constituting acushioning inner sole and adapted to cushion the heel of the wearer. Thefront portion 2 of the bottom cushioning pad gradually increases inwidth to wards the front end to follow the outline of the side walls orupper of the shoe, and it tapers in thickness as clearly shown in Figs.1 and 2, and is designed to extend to approximately the ball of thefoot, but may extend entirelybencath the same and to the' toe of theshoe if desired.

The bottom pad is provided at the upper face with a covering 3 of thinsoft leather or other suitable flexible material which is secured by anadhesive or other suitable means at its front, rear and outer side edgesto the upper face of the bottom pad, the inner-side edge 4 of thecovering 3 being unattached to afiord an entrance opening to the spacebetween the covering and the bottom pad to permit a front metatarsalsupport 5 and a longitudinal arch support 6 to be readily insertedbetween the covering son that the bulge incident to the provision of thearch support is less pronounced thanv and the bottom pad and to beremoved therefrom when desired. .The metatarsal support, which isconstructed of soft rubber, is approximately triangular in plan view andtapers rearwardly; It is provided with a flat lower face 7 to fit uponthe flat upper surface ,of the bottom pad, and it has a convex upperface formed by tapering the metatarsal support both longitudinally andtransversely. The front and rear edges 8 and 9 at the ends of themetatarsal support are curved, and the side edges are straight, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the draw- The metatarsal support isinserted between the covering and the bottom pad at the front end of thespace between the pad and the said covering in acentral position, and itis arranged immediately behind the ball of the'foot. The metatarsal padis composed of soft sponge rubber, and will operate to exercise themuscles of the front part of the foot, and will relieve the pressureupon the ball of the foot and when desired it may be readily removedfrom the bottom pad.

The longitudinal arch support, whichis arranged between the bottom padand the covering, is constructed of soft sponge rubber and issubstantially segmental in plan view, and has a rounded or convex upperface, and is tapered at the ends as shown.

The outer side edge 10 is straight and the inner side edge and the endedges are de fined by a curve which is in the form of an are connectingthe straight outer. side edge. The flat face of the longitudinal archsupport is adapted to fit against the flat face of the bottom pad andthe longitudinal arch support may be arranged at either the upper orlower face of the bottom pad. When the longitudinal arch support isplaced beneath the bottom pad with its flat face against theflat face ofthe bottom pad, a longitudinal arc'h supporting surface of a moreyielding or'softer character is provided for the rea when the archsupport is arranged at the upper face of the bottom pad. Also the valleyor space between the arch support insert andthe metatarsal supportinsert is less pronounced. The two inserts may be made of a the samematerial as the bottom pad with the same degreevof softness, but thedegree of hardness or softness of the inserts may, of course, be varied,as will be readily un derstood. t

In order to prevent the cushion support from slipping forward in a shoewhen putting the same on the foot, the cushion support may beconveniently held in position by a shoe horn, but an adhesive may beemployed if desired for attaching the rear portion of the cushionsupport to the heel tread of the shoe. The bottom pad is of sufficientthe frictional contact between the inserts and A the bottom pad willprevent any slipping of the inserts. When the longitudinal arch supportinsert is placed beneath the bottom pad an adhesive should be usedbetween the lower face of the bottom pad and the flat surface of theinsert to prevent any displacement of the latter. The pressure of thefoot upon the bottom pad and the longitudinal insert when the latter isarranged below the bottom pad, will cause the bottom pad'and the insertto form a modified soft cushion support for the arch of the foot at theinner side thereof.-

The longitudinal arch support insert may .be arranged with either itsflat face or its convex face in contact with the flat lower face of thebottom pad, and the metatarsal support and the longitudinal arch supportmay be varied in size to suit the form of the foot of the wearer. Bothof these supports may be adjusted to fit the deformity of any foot, andto furnish the required support for the same and at the same timeprovide a comfortable cushion for the foot.

When the proper position of the longitudinal arch supporting insert hasbeen ascertained, either at the time when the device is delivered to thewearer or after the device has been worn by the wearer, and the properposition determined by actual use, the said arch supporting insert maybe secured in position upon the bottom pad by an adhesive or othersuitable means, which will prevent any displacement of the archsupporting insert. This attaching of the flat lower face of the insert 6to the bottom pad will not interfere with the raising of the covering 3for the purpose of adjusting, removing or replacing the metatarsalsupport, as the covering is unattached to the longitudinal arch supportand is securedto the bottom pad only at the marginal edges at the endportions and outer side, as indicated by the dotted line in to the sameat the margin thereof and having a portion of its marginal edgeunattached to the soft piece of material so as to provide an opening topermit access to the interior of the cushion support, a longitudinalarch sup ort disposed within said cushion support an insertiblethereinto and removable therefrom through said opening, and a metatarsalsupporting insert disposed within the cushion 10 support at the toeportion of the same and insertible therein and removable therefromthrough said opening upon temporary removal of said longitudinal archsupport.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 15 my hand this 20th day of May1930.

FRANCIS hoMERo.

